We're Safe Now
by headto
Summary: Swan Queen AU. One-shot and a continuation of You're Safe Now. Emma saved Regina and they are now trying to move on with their lives but still waiting for Cora to attack. I don't own the characters. Trigger warnings for implying of abuse and gore. And I think, fluff.


**Author's notes** : This is dedicated to _FlamingEmbers7_ , my one reviewer for the SQ One-Shot: You're Safe Now. Again, this story was inspired by the show, Inuyasha, but I changed a few things (or several) to make it my own. For reference, this is the episode where Inuyasha first turned into a full monster.

I don't own the characters. I just borrow them for my personal enjoyment. Making people happy in return is a plus.

Trigger warnings for mentions of abuse and gore. And I think, fluff.

 **Rating:** T

* * *

It's been months since the first time Emma saved Regina and Regina saved Emma. Since that day in the forest when Regina broke the arrow that imprisoned Emma and Emma helped Regina escape from Cora.

The place they ended up in when they escaped from Cora was Emma's old home. The castle was still standing but inside was chaos. The only place spared was Emma's room except for the thick dust that had accumulated over her years of absence. Beyond her room, everything was destroyed. Statue heads laid on the floor. Paintings were slashed. Chairs and tables lacked a leg or were broken in two as if something heavy were thrown against them. Clothes were strewn on the floor or dangled from broken hangers as though people tried to pull out clothes in haste or anger.

The place was a nightmare and Regina had to call Emma's name five times before Emma turned to look at her from where she was kneeling on the floor in one of the bedrooms and touching the splatter on blood that had long dried up. Still, Emma did not speak but instead, went back to looking and tracing the dried blood.

Regina knelt beside her. She suddenly had an idea about what happened in the place, or rather, _who_ happened in the place but she cannot accept this particular idea. So she asked. "What happened here?"

Emma stood up and walked briskly towards the door. Regina saw veins appearing again in Emma's fists and she knew her idea had actual merit. What she said next made Emma stop from going over the door's threshold.

"Did my mother do this?"

Emma's only response was to finally walk out the door.

#

Regina found Emma back in her room. Emma was at the balcony gazing outside. She approached the princess but a kept a foot distance behind her. Emma spoke eventually.

"My parents told me to hide. I did not want to leave them but they said that they will not die in vain if they knew I was safe. So when Cora came, I escaped and ran to the forest. I made a mistake and Robin Hood caught me."

Regina walked the final steps to place her beside Emma and she saw Emma touch the wound in her chest. Emma continued.

"He said he did not want to do it but Cora had his family imprisoned. So he killed me. Well, _tried_ to." Emma chuckled drily. "His arrows prevented me from using magic but those in my hands and feet did not kill me. So he released his last arrow to my heart. I thought I was dead. I think...for a time, I was. But then I woke up."

Regina did not realize she moved even closer until she was touching Emma's hand that was touching the wound on her chest.

"How long were you in that tree?"

Emma finally looked at her. "How old are you?"

"I just turned eighteen."

Emma's smile was sad. "You were barely two years when it happened."

"Sixteen years? But how have no one, even my mother, saw you in that forest all those years?"

Emma turned to gaze outside. "I don't know. You're the first person I saw since Robin left me for dead. But I think, my magic was protecting me even if I cannot use it."

"It allowed me to see you."

"It did."

Emma was now looking at her and her smile was no longer sad. It was warm and something else that made her blush. Regina took a step back because breathing suddenly became harder but Emma turned to face her fully and lifted a hand to cup her cheeks.

"My magic knew who my savior was." It was spoken so softly but its impact was so great that Regina took another step back. Emma let her hand fall to her side but continued to look at her. Regina had to look away.

"You must now regret saving the woman who is the daughter of the woman who destroyed your life and took your family away."

Emma stepped closer and cupped her cheeks with both hands this time. Regina watched as Emma leaned down towards her and then her eyes closed when she felt the press of lips on her forehead.

"What I feel towards you is the opposite of regret." Emma whispered.

"I-"

"I heard your heart. It was beating rapidly and so loudly that it woke me up from my sleep. When I saw you running towards my tree, my heart started beating once again. Then you looked at me and all I wanted at that moment was to be free and carry you away with me. I do not know you, Regina, but it seems my heart does. And you, being related to Cora, does nothing to change how I feel for you since the moment I saw you. I promised to keep you safe and I always keep my promises."

Whatever response that Regina had formed in her mind was lost with Emma's words. So she did the only thing that made sense at the moment. She clutched Emma against her and did not let go.

#

Regina eventually let go because Emma saw she was very tired after crying against her shoulder for a long time. They went to bed, Regina still wrapped in Emma's arm. And that's how they slept from then on.

Days turned into weeks and they fixed the castle as much as they could. Emma tried to use her magic but she was a novice and had only begun to learn magic before Cora happened. Emma also tried to teleport as the market was a long way but cannot do it. She explained that maybe it's one of those things that just happened when she needed it the most.

Regina learned that Emma's magic was actually rooted in her heart. Her mother, Queen Snow, was barren because of a very foolish mistake when she was young. But then True Love happened so Emma was born. Emma said that Regina probably had magic too since when she was born, Cora already knew magic. Regina replied that she does not want to have magic.

While the castle was abandoned, the garden continued to produce food and wandering rabbits and fowl provided them meat. Regina tended the garden while Emma hunted though they made sure to always be together since they knew that Cora will find them any time soon.

Regina suggested they go to another place. Another place where it will be difficult for her mother to find them. Emma said that she wanted to be sure first that no one from their kingdom made it out alive. The castle was the best place to start.

"Let Cora come." Emma said one afternoon while they sat in the library. But she was not looking at Regina when she said this.

"She's still my mother."

There was silence for a while but Regina can see Emma's jaw harden and the veins on her fist appear. Then Emma looked at her finally. "I can only swear to keeping you safe."

The rest of the afternoon was spent away from each other. Regina left the library immediately while Emma stayed in her seat. When night came, Emma slid beside her in bed and Regina turned to face her and clung to Emma while she slept.

#

They never talked about what was happening between them. It only felt natural to wake up wrapped in each other's arms. Regina cooked and Emma cleaned. When they need to take a bath, Emma brought water up and prepared it for her. Emma will bring water again but for her own bath this time. (Regina tried to return the favor but found that she only had the strength to carry a pail up halfway the long stairs). One time, Emma came in while Regina was changing and Emma spluttered an apology before quickly closing the door and waiting outside. Regina was also embarrassed but Emma was much more so that Emma decided to start taking her bath and changing her clothes in the other room across. But at night, Emma would slid down in bed with Regina and wrap both arms around her. Then Regina will rest her head atop Emma's heart and eventually fall asleep.

They also never talk about how Emma will always kiss Regina's forehead with a 'good night'.

#

The weeks turned into a month and when Emma woke up one morning, she felt a change in the air. She sat up and walked towards the balcony. She saw a little outside the castle looking at her. The little girl grinned and it sent chills down her spine. She walked back towards the bed and woke Regina.

"She's here, Regina." Emma whispered.

It took a moment for Regina to wake up and realize what Emma said. When she did, she sat up in bed and clutched Emma's arms in panic.

Emma immediately sat down facing her. "I won't let her hurt you. You will stay here and whatever happens, do not go down there." Then she stood up and began dressing for war. When she slid her sword into its scabbard, Regina finally spoke.

"I will fight with you, Emma."

Emma smiled at her at approached the bed again. "Stay here Regina, where my magic can keep you safe." Then she flicked her hand and watched as the room shimmered. "No one can come in here now except for me."

"Why don't you do it for the whole castle and stay inside with me?"

Emma cupped Regina's cheeks and made sure that they were eye to eye. "I can only protect a small area. Don't worry, I will be back." Then she kissed Regina chastely on the lips and locked the room behind her when she left.

#

"You do know I can see right thru your disguise, right?"

Cora grinned and flicked her hand, returning to her usual self. "And you do know you can't hide from me. You should have escaped to a far away place while you had time."

"I was waiting for you."

Cora's cackled and Emma did her best not to flinch.

"Then you're as foolish as your parents. I did enjoy watching them die slowly."

Emma gripped her sword tighter. She finally had her answer. Maybe it was a good thing that she already mourned her parents for sixteen years. Now, she only had one person to live for. She will not let Cora take Regina away from her too.

"I swore to avenge my parents and my kingdom for what you did to us. But Regina do not want you dead. So I'm giving you a chance to live us alone in peace. Go away Cora and leave Regina be."

Cora looked up and grinned at the sight on the balcony. Emma knew that Regina was watching them and though she wanted to look at her too, she did not want to give Cora a chance to take her by surprise. So she kept her eyes on Cora.

"Give me Regina and I will you in peace."

"You do not deserve Regina in your life."

"And you do?"

"I will not let you harm her again."

"Regina is mine!" Cora spat.

Emma raised her sword and stood ready to fight. "Then you will have to go through me."

Cora smirked. "If that is what you want."

Emma practiced her sword skills and magic every day. She also thought of several ways on how Cora will attack but Cora turning into a monster was not something she was prepared for.

And that was the only way to describe Cora. She was shapeless but solid. She had fangs and her eyes were big and red, no longer human. She grew until she was towering over Emma at ten feet. Emma was glad that Regina was at the third floor. Cora can still speak but she also roared and growled while her hands sparkled purple with magic. A monster with magic.

Emma charged and was immediately flung away with an arm. It felt like slamming against a tree trunk. When Emma stood and tried to hack Cora with her sword, Cora only cackled and zapped her with magic. The sword did not even make a dent on her skin.

"Give me Regina and I will think about letting you live."

Emma was still dizzy when she stood up and when she touched the spot on her head that hit the castle wall, there was blood. When she spat on the ground, there was blood as well. "And I told you that you will have to go through me." Then she charged again.

And again.

And again.

The last thing Emma knew before everything went black was hearing Regina shouting and crying at her to get up.

#

Regina watched as Emma tried and failed to hit Cora. She clutched at her heart in anguish as Emma, bloodied from head to foot, and movement growing slower and slower with every beating, continued to stand up from every fall and attack. She wanted to curl in bed and not watch Emma die but she knew that she cannot leave Emma. Not when Emma was fighting for her too. So she watched in silence so as not to distract Emma. _Her_ Emma.

She did not even tell Emma that she loved her. That even though they've only known each other for a month, Emma was already the dearest person in her life. And that a few nights ago, she dreamed of them living together with two little kids that looked like them. She did not tell Emma that she wanted their first kiss, the one that Emma gave her earlier, to be repeated every morning.

Regina cried out when she saw that Emma was not standing up. She was not moving at all.

She clung at the railing and shouted. "Emma!"

Cora laughed the way monsters do and stalked towards the fallen woman. Regina shouted again. "Emma! Get up, Emma! Please wake up!"

Emma remained still when Cora rolled her to her back with a clawed foot. Then Cora looked at Regina and stared at her with smirk on her face while she raised her hand. Regina had seen that move before by accident. She was barely a young lady and was curious when she heard wailing coming from the basement. That's when she discovered the dungeon. She peeked and saw her mother do the same move before the prisoner slumped dead on the floor.

"No, mother! I will go with you!"

By some miracle, Cora listened to her. She put down her hand and walked towards Regina, leaving Emma's unmoving body on the ground. Regina watched her mother elevate until she was almost within reach. Regina backed away from the balcony and into the room. She prayed that Emma's protection spell will hold. At least then, she knew that Emma was still alive.

Cora stretched out her hand and roared when Emma's magic attacked her. But Emma was weak...or dead… that with just a little more effort, the protection spell broke and Cora was finally standing in the room.

"You shouldn't have ran away, Regina." The monster said.

Regina wondered if this was her mother's true form. With how her mother treated her, she would not be surprised if her mother was not human after all.

Regina backed away until her back was to the wall beside the door. She knew she cannot get away from Cora but it was a habit difficult to break. "I'm sorry, mother."

"I know you are, child." Cora smiled that smile that Regina had learned to associate with the kind of punishment that will leave her in bed for a month afterwards.

"I will go with you. Just please, leave Emma be."

Cora's response was to laugh disbelievingly. "But you see Regina, what will happen is that you will watch while I finish her off and then you will go home with me where I will teach you why you should never run away from me again."

"No! Please… just… leave Emma alone. I will go with you just please leave her alone."

The monster walked closer and stretched out her hand towards her. Regina cried for Emma and herself and tried to beg one more time. "Please mother."

"I told you to leave Regina alone, Cora."

Regina gasped and Cora growled as she realized that Emma was right behind her.

But it was not the Emma that Regina knew. It was Emma but not really. Her golden hair was now pure white and waved in the air as if wind was blowing behind her. Her body, except for her face was covered with golden scales that shimmered in the sun. Her eyes were now red and fangs protruded from her mouth. The blood the marred her clothes and body remained but she radiated strength as if her body did not just take a great beating that left her unmoving a while ago. And her feet was not touching the floor.

Then Cora turned back to Regina and Regina watched as her mother grinned at her and stretched her hand towards her. Everything was in slow motion until just before Cora's clawed hands can pierce through her chest. That's when the monster's mouth gaped as if in shock and then the body dropped on the floor face down. Then the monster was gone and all that was left was her mother's human form.

It took a moment for Regina to register what happened and when she looked up, Emma was breathing heavily and her chest was heaving. Blood dripped from Emma's hand and she was clutching something. When Regina looked back at her mother, she realized that there was a big hole below her mother's left shoulder.

#

"Emma…"

Emma finally looked at her. "Stay away from me, Regina." She growled.

But Regina continued to approach her, albeit slowly. She was scared that Emma will run away. This Emma that had scales and clawed hands and fangs, and blood shot eyes. This Emma who looked so evil but was still trying to protect her. When Emma was within arms reach, Emma took a step back.

"I said, stay away, Regina."

So Regina, naturally, closed the distance between them by clutching Emma's bloody cheeks with both hands. "Come back to me, Emma Swan." Then she closed the distance between their lips.

#

Emma felt her body suddenly get oh so very tired that she dropped what she was holding in her right hand to clasp the nearest structure in front of her with both hands so as not to fall. Her hands met soft cotton and she closed her eyes as her mind registered the kiss. And then the kiss was the only thing she felt.

#

The kiss ended and Emma's eyes opened only to be met with brown ones with so much tears pouring out. Then her body was clutched and she cannot help but return the embrace. She also cannot help the groan as Regina's arm tightened and pressed over bruised skin.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Regina gasped and tried to let go of Emma.

Emma chuckled and tightened her arms around Regina in response. Eventually, Emma's eyes wandered and she saw Cora's lifeless body on the floor. She finally let go of Regina.

"I-I'm sorry, Regina."

Regina's eyes were sad as she gazed at her mother but turned grateful when she stared back at Emma. "You saved me, Emma. You saved me once again. But…"

Emma waited for Regina to continue. She knew what the other woman was going to ask. When Regina asked why Cora tried to kill her and her family, Emma never told her why. She wanted to spare the burden. But now, Regina's question will unfold Cora's reason.

Regina gazed back at her before she finally spoke. "You changed, Emma. You turned into something else. You were still beautiful but you were also scary. You looked...evil."

Emma chuckled with the words beautiful. Then she cleared her throat. "Let me take care of your mother first."

Regina only nodded and watched as Cora disappeared from the floor and all traces of the fight that just happened disappeared.

"I placed her in the next room." Emma said. Then she led Regina towards the bed where they both sat down.

"Your mother was not born with magic but only taught. She was a great student and tried to learn as much as she can from her teacher. But you see, her teacher cannot teach her everything because her teacher was not just anyone. He was the Dark One. The Dark One knew of a prophecy where he will die in the hands of a woman scorned. When he realized it was Cora, he knew that he cannot let Cora kill him because then, Cora will get his powers. That's how the Dark Curse is passed. You kill the Dark One."

"So my mother is the Dark One?"

"Oh, no. You're mother is just evil." Emma flinched when she realized what she said but Regina only squeezed her hand. So she continued. "When Cora finally decided to carry out her plan of killing the Dark One, the Dark One was already starting to change because he fell in love. And his lover convinced him to ask for help. A fairy told him of an old folk tale where the Dark Curse was contained within a person. A person born from True Love."

Regina's eyes widened. "You're the Dark One?"

Emma chuckled. "You can call me that but I'm not, really." Then she glanced at her fingers where the blood had now dried. "The heart of a person born of True Love is not like a normal heart. Over the years, the Dark Curse within me will die. I just don't know when. It's the first time this happened to me though, the changing.

I know I was unconscious for a while but then I heard you talking to your mother and I knew she breached my spell. Then I knew I had to stand up and get to you. When I woke up, I was...different. I heard voices in my head to kill and destroy but, I guess, my heart was louder because it made me focus on keeping you safe."

Regina took a moment to absorb what Emma had just said. When she spoke, it was with a question. "So why did you tell me to stay away?"

"I wasn't a hundred percent sure that it was safe for you to come near me. As I said, it's the first time that it happened. And I- I was embarrassed with how I look. I knew I looked like a monster."

It was a lovely blush that marred Emma's cheeks again and it was funny because this suddenly-turned shy princess who cannot look at her had only just gloriously saved her. Her savior. Her beautiful warrior. So Regina told her so.

"Oh Emma. I wouldn't have approached you if I was scared. And I didn't kiss a monster, Emma. I kissed you."

Regina discovered that Emma's blush can actually turn redder but now Emma was gazing back at her and Regina read the longing and hope in her eyes.

"That you did, Regina."

Emma's eyes drifted down her lips. Regina cleared her throat and Emma's eyes went back to look at hers.

"May I kiss you again?" Regina asked.

Emma, straight-faced Emma, answered, "No."

Then before confusion and hurt can mar Regina's face, Emma was leaning down and then kissing her.

And then they were still kissing until Emma broke away but not really since their lips were still touching although not kissing.

"I love you, Regina."

Regina squeezed her eyes shut and when she opened them back, she knew they were twinkling with happiness just like Emma's. "I love you, Emma."

And when they kissed again, this time with all the promise of forever and happily ever after, a great burst of something came from Emma and flung in all directions away from where they were seated but entwined together. And they knew what it meant.

"You're safe now, Regina."

Regina smiled back and replied before kissing Emma again. "We're safe now."

 **The end**.


End file.
